Thursday, January 15, 2009

Minister O'Dea shown map of Gaza v Munster

In just one hour on Saturday more than 100 people on Limerick’s O’Connell Street signed letters addressed to the Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea T.D. demanding government action to defend the rights of 1.5 million people besieged and under attack by Israeli forces in the Gaza strip.

IPSC Stall showing map of Gaza V Munster and the number of palestinians murdered, wounded and arrested in the last three weeks.

Members of the Limerick branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) presented the letters to Minister O’Dea at his constituency office in Limerick on Saturday afternoon. When shown a map of Gaza superimposed on a map of Munster Minister O’Dea expressed his amazement and said that he didn’t realise that it was so small.

The Minister told the delegation from the IPSC that he would discuss the situation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern T.D. during the coming week and would relay our concerns to him about the plight of the people of Gaza. The IPSC delegation also expressed concern about the failure of the EU to hold Israel to account for its crimes and the impact which the proposed new EU Treaty might have on both the EU and Ireland’s ability to bring any meaningful pressure to bear on Israel in the future.

A spokesperson for the Limerick branch of the IPSC, Mr. Sean Clinton said that the high level of public concern and support for the people in Gaza was clearly evident on the street in Limerick. People queued to sign letters urging the Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea T.D. to insist that Israel abides by international law and the 4th Geneva Convention and calling for a suspension of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement pertaining to Israel. He said that most people have very little idea of the size of Gaza and like Minister O’Dea they are shocked when shown it superimposed on a map of Munster. The fact that 1.5 million people are trapped in such a small area without access to the outside world, under siege and assault by Israeli occupation forces makes it all the more urgent for our Government to use its influence in the EU and the UN to hold Israel to account.

Minister O’ Dea undertook to relay the outcome of his discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Clinton later in the week.

__________________Minister of Defence Willie O’Dea T.D. was presented with over 100 letters urging government action to hold Israel to account for its crimes against the Palestinian people. Left to right: Sean Clinton, Michael Geraghty, Minister Willie O’Dea T.D. and Bri